by Paul Francis

Kent Labour MPs have rallied round the beleaguered Prime Minister following the shock resignation of the works and pensions minister James Purnell.

Gordon Brown was dealt a potentially devastating blow to his leadership last night with the shock resignation of the works and pensions minister James Purnell. There is already speculation that his decision to quit will be followed by other resignations.

Mr Purnell announced he was quitting in a move that will heap even more pressure on the beleaguered Prime Minister, who is braced for a dismal showing in the council and European elections. The results of the county council election will be declared today and Labour is expected to suffer widespread losses.

But Jonathan Shaw, Chatham and Aylesford MP and a junior minister who served under James Purnell in the Department for Work and Pensions, said people would be exasperated by any contest and said he disagreed with claims that Labour would fare better if Mr Brown stood aside.

Check out our political editor Paul Francis' blog for our MPs' reaction to the Labour leadership situation.

Mr Shaw said: "I do not think his analysis is correct. It [a leadership contest] would be a wonderful spectacle for the media but with everthing that has been going on with allowances and the economy I think people would be extremely exasperated. Neither the Government or the country is going to be served by a very introspective argument inside the party.

Dover MP Gywn Prosser acknowledged the news of Mr Purnell’s decision to quit would be damaging but said:

“I share the views of those who are shocked and disappointed that he’s suddenly decided to turn against the Prime Minister. I believe he has gone into panic mode when he should have taken a more calm and considered view and waited for the dust to settle on some of these issues like MPs’ allowances rather than resigning,” he said.

“I agree it is damaging and was very clearly designed to be damaging – you only have to look at the way it was released through the newspapers and the way he presented his case. It was an attempt to destabilise the cabinet.”

Sittingbourne and Sheppey MP Derek Wyatt said the Government needed to focus on fixing the economy and a leadership contest would prove "destabilising".

He said:""I am extremely surprised [at the resignation]. There would be a constitutional issue about whether it was right to have a second PM not elected by a vote; you could get a run on the pound which would destabilise the economy. My view is that we need to get the economy right and move on from there."

In his resignation letter, Mr Purnell wrote that he owed it to the Labour Party to "say what I believe no matter how hard that may be".

He wrote: "I now believe your continued leadership makes a Conservative victory more, not less likely. That would be disastrous for our country."

He added: "I am therefore calling on you to stand aside to give our party a fighting chance of winning. As such I am resigning from government."